Memories Are My Only Witness

Yuka Honda | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tzadik
• ASIN: B00005YSUB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,858 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yuka Honda's hi-fi wasabi..., January 14, 2003

By 

J. Lund "jazzbrat" (SoCal, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Memories Are My Only Witness (Audio CD)

Although I've been hoping for another CIBO MATTO album, I had also been curious to hear what Yuka Honda might come up as a solo artist, not only based on hearing her imaginative contributions to the CIBO MATTO sound, but also from her work as a producer or remixer for such varied artists as Miu Sakamoto and Medeski, Martin, & Wood. My guess is that Yuka could easily take her own music in a variety of directions, and here she opts for an instrumental album. At times the music proceeds through a series of short sonic sculptures, at other times Yuka explores musical ideas at a bit more length. There's a bit of funk, then sound effects, then hip-hop, then ambient passages, and so on. Yet somehow taken as a whole there is a coherent vision to the eclectic parts, with a constant emotive depth amid the sometimes rapid shifts in sound and mood.

Although at times the music sounds like CIBO MATTO at their funkiest, the difference here is that the songs avoid the structure of contemporary pop songs (even the onbeat-offbeat C.M. ones cut with Miho Hatori). In other words, a lot of the music doesn't support a melody and/or melodic hooks, but rather stands on its own. Furthermore, jazz-like improvised solos are few in number, which for me meant listening to the CD several times to fully appreciate Yuka's music on her own terms, not my preconceptions. I suppose my jazz background had me at first wanting Yuka to stay in and develop each groove for...well 10-15 minutes each (that's the Miles Davis fan in me). However, I quickly grew to love Yuka's choice not to stay in one place very long...it's kind of like traveling and landing in a different country every few minutes at random. As long as Yuka Honda is the tourguide I don't mind.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Stuff, May 6, 2003

By 

Joseph W. Annabi - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memories Are My Only Witness (Audio CD)

Yuka's music is wonderful. At first I missed Miho's voice layed over Yuka's music, but I soon came to appreciate how great this is as a lyricless album. All of the tracks are deeply atmospheric, and often experimental. If you were a fan of Cibo Matto, or not, do yourself a favor and check out this album.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I like..I really like, March 12, 2002

By 

J. Sam "cibomatto" (Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memories Are My Only Witness (Audio CD)

I don't have much to say but this CD is one of those CDs that you instantly love at first listen. I enjoyed Yuka Honda's work with Cibo Matto and the GrooveBox CD but this one is just fantastic... thanks Yuka for a brilliant album